Moving stairway panelling



Marc 12, 3%? J LQCHTGARN 2,785,286

MOVING STAIRWAY PANELLING Filed Nov. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l JfiMES L/CHTiZ/V INVENTOR BY%OM ATTORNEY March 12, 1957 J. LIYCHTGARN 2,785,286 4 MOVING STAIRWAY PANELLING Filed NOV. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r/flMES L/C HT 617k INVENTOR BY w ATTORNEY nite States 2,785,286 MOVING STARWAY PANELLING Application November 8, 1952, Serial No. 319,493

1 Claim. (Cl. 24tl2) The invention relates to the illumination of moving stairways.

Moving stairways comprise an endless series of steps running between balustrades from one level to another. The steps emerge in platform formation from under a cornbplate at the entrance to the stairway, gradually change to a step formation in which they run to the other end of the stairway, gradually change back to platform formation and disappear under a combplate. It is desirable to illuminate the steps, especially along the section where the passengers step on to them at the entrance end of the stairway and thus avoid having them straddle two steps so that it becomes necessary to realign their feet when the steps move into step formation. Such illumination is also of particular advantage at the exit end of the stairway.

The object of the invention is to provide an illuminating panel along the side of the steps beneath the balustrading.

One feature of the invention is the provision of an illuminated panel in which the light source may be brought close to the panel without being visible to persons viewing the panel.

A second feature of the invention is to provide a panel having a pleasing architectural appearance.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of a rigid panel of the above general character.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claim.

in carrying out the invention the skirt panelling beneath the balustrade panelling on each side of the moving stairway is made up of a number of panels comprising core structures secured behind sheets of light transmitting face material. Each core is constructed such that it has a plurality of parallel openings transverse to the plane of the face material, thus permitting light from a source behind the panel to be transmitted through the core structure and the face material to illuminate the moving steps of the stairway.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation in longitudinal section of a moving stairway having particular reference to the balustrade skirt panelling;

Figure 2 is a cross section of one of the skirt panels showing constructional details thereof;

Figure 3 is an elevation view showing a portion of two adjacent skirt panels;

Figure 4 is a view taken along line 44 of Figure 3 showing a portion of two adjacent panels;

Figure 5 is a detailed view in section of the moving stairway taken along line 5-5 of Figure 1 showing the source of illumination for the skirt panelling and the means of fastening the skirt panelling to the moving stairway framework.

Reference will first be made to Figure 1 in which the moving stairway comprises an endless series of steps 12 running between a lower landing 1t) and an upper landing 11. Assuming an up travelling stairway, at the lower landing the steps 12 emerge from under combplate 17, travel a short distance in platform formation and then gradually take a step formation. They thus move up the incline and near the upper landing 11, gradually reatent O 2,735,286 Patented Mar. 12,1957

turn to a platform formation and disappear under combplate 18. Moving in synchronism with the steps is handrail 20. The interior side wall of the moving stairway between the handrail and the steps comprises a balustrade 21. This balustrading is made up of individual balustrade panels 13 with molding strips 23 covering the joints between each panel. Below the balustrade panels is the skirt panelling 22 which likewise is made up of individual panels but here, however, the panels designated 14 are simply butted together and no molding is used. As the skirt panelling is located where it can inadvertently be kicked and be subject to similar hard wear, it is generally assembled from panels of rigid ply-metal. This invention contemplates the use of fabricated panels constructed as is shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 to which reference will now be made.

The panel comprises what is known as a core 24, a face 25 and an edge band 26. These three elements as assembled in a preferred construction will be considered separately. 7

The core is the portion of the panel which lends rigidity thereto and which thus resists the flexural stresses to which the panel may be subject. Although many materials may be used in the core depending on the application of the panel and the desired rigidity thereof, an aluminum honeycomb core has been found satisfactory for the use contemplated. This not only provides a rigid construction which freely transmits light but also presents a pleasing architectural effect, especially in view of the light reflections obtained from the interior of the cell structures.

Although the fabrication of a core may be accomplished by numerous methods, reference will be made to but two ways of forming a honeycomb core. By one method, sheets which have been corrugated to provide parallel flat surfaces disposed alternately on either side of a median plane are suitably bonded together to form a honeycomb structure. Cores of the desired thickness can then be sliced off the assembled honeycomb. In another method of forming a core, flat sheets'of' the core material are stacked one upon another. Each sheet is bonded to the next adjacent sheet by spaced parallel strips of adhesive. The strips of adhesive are arranged such that those between say the second and the third sheets are disposed between the adhesive strips between the third and fourth sheets and the second and first sheets. Strips are then sliced 01f the assembled sheets transverse to the adhesive bond and the top and bottom layers of the strip are separated to form an expanded honeycomb.

The next portion of the panel to be considered is the face 25. For the application herein disclosed a face of light transmitting material, preferably transparent, is used. Thus, the panel formed is an efiicient transmitter of light. A clear acrylic plastic has been found suitable as a face material for use in a skirt panel.

The edge band 26 is to facilitate the mounting of the' panel to the moving stairway structure. For this, a number of materials may be used which may be opaque or clear. In the preferred construction, an opaque plastic edge band has been used except for the banding 27 at the panel edge which butts the next adjacent panel, which banding 27 is of clear plastic.

The assembly of the components into finished panels may be accomplished by many methods depending on the materials used for the core and the face and on the adhesives used. In some instances, the air spaces in the honeycomb are exhausted to secure a satisfactory bond of the face material to the core. In an application as herein contemplated, further consideration is given to obtaining an even coating of adhesive over the edges of the honeycomb .so that the panel presents a uniform apassesses pearance. The following has been found a satisfactory I means of fabricating a panel.

100 parts of methyl methacrylate monomer;

V 'parts of methyl methacrylate polymer;

2 parts'of benzoyl peroxide, The component parts are then reassembled and a vacuum is produced within the'panels by the removal of air through a small. port in one of the edge bands, a perforation'in each of the honeycomb cells of the core, enabling this operation to be effected. The vacuum causes atmospheric pressure to compress the panel.

Meanwhile, the panel is heated 'to about 120'F. which brings about polymerization of the adhesive and results in a firm bond between core and face and edge bands. It is to be understood that other transparent face materials may be used such as a clear rigid vinyl plastic and other fabricating methods could, therefore, be employed.

The panels can also be assembled'by other methods. For example, rather than bond the face material to the core, it will in many cases be satisfactory to simply bond the face material to the edge bands and permit the core to be held snugly in place by the edge bands and the face material. In such a case, the edge bands may be considered as'forming a framework. This method of fabrication is particularly suitable to panels having large face areas. With this constructiomif the face area is'cornpartively large, it may be desirable to place additional members as stiffening ribs in the panel to, which the face material can be secured. These ribs divide the face into small areas wherein it is not secured to the' pore, thus reducing the tendency for the face to flex and move away from the core. Panels assembled in this manner obtain their rigidity from the framework and face alone; the core serving as a light louvre.

The construction of, a panel as herein considered for light transmitting purposes has many advantages. By varying the size of the honeycomb openings the cut off angle is likewise varied. This angle is the maximum angle which a'persons line of sightmay make with thesides of the honeycomb and still enable a person to see through the honeycomb. Considering a honeycomb of a fixed thickness, the smaller the honeycomb opening the smaller the cut off angle and the closer a light source may be brought to the honeycomb without being visible to a person viewing the panel. This assumes, of course, that the line of sight of a person looking at the panel does not fall'within the cut off angle, which condition is the prevailing one in the application herein disclosed. For such application, a core thickness of onequarter inch /1) and a honeycomb opening of onequarter inch 0A") have been found satisfactory. It is to be understood, of course, that these dimensions can be varied depending on the ultimate use of the fabricated panel. a

Reference will now be made to Figure 5. Moving stairway truss member runs the full length of the stairway and it supports at spaced points posts 31. Post 31 and truss member 30 support angle bracket 32 which in turn supports angle bracket 33, the brackets being Welded together. Provision is made for varying the vertical height of bracket 32 as by shims 34 and elongated hole 35 in post 31. Flat plate 36 is spaced from bracket 33 by nuts 37 and threaded bolts 40. Plate 36 in conjunction with clamps 41 firmly grasp ribs 42 and 43 on extrusions 44 and 45 respectively. 'The extrusions run the full length of the stairwa y and are supported at spaced points as herein described. The skirt panelling '22 is secured to the extrusions by means of screws 46 which enter the edge bands 26 of the panels 14,. A mold- 7 the entrance end of the stairway to the time they dis- .to truss member 3i).

4 7 ing strip 47 is secured over the joint between the balustrade 21 and the skirt panelling 22.

The light source 48 is positioned inside the balustrading and is illustrated as a fluorescent lamp. The lamp holder brackets 50 are mounted on a battensl which is secured Although 'a fluorescent lamp is illustrated, it is to be understood that other type light sources, as for example, cold cathode lighting may be used. A reflector 52 is also provided for more effectively utilizing the available light. The skirt panelling, thus illuminated, presents a pleasing architectural appearance which is enhanced by the light reflections from the sides of the honeycomb openings in the core. The lighting and the reflectors run along the entire length of the stairway on both sides thereof. This arrangement insures complete shadowless illumination of the step treads from the time the steps emerge from under the combplate at appear under the combpla'te at the exit end of the stairway.

' While the invention contemplates the use of illuminating panels for use as moving stairway skirt panelling, similar'panels may be used for the balustrade panelling. The illuminated panels may also be located onlywhere the moving steps emerge from under or disappear under the combplates, particularly at the entrance end of the stairway. Also, light sources of various colors may be used or face material of transparent colored materials may be used to obtain different lighting effects. In ad dition, the skirt panelling may be illuminated in other Ways. Also, the panel may find ready use in other applications in which an illuminated panel is desired. In certain applications it may be desirable to have a translucent rather than a transparent panel 'face. In addition, the core need not be of a honeycomb pattern but may assume any other geometric design.

It is thus apparent that many changes could be made from the disclosure Without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention and, therefore, all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is: A moving stairway in which an endless series of steps run from one landing to another between a' pair of balustrades, each of which comprise skirt panelling at the sides of the steps and balustrade panelling above the skirt panelling, and in which the stairway is illuminated by means of transmitted light from illuminating means within the balustrades, characterized in that the skirt panelling is formed of abutting light transmitting panels through which said light is transmitted, each light transmitting panel comprising a frame formed of plastic edge bands and plastic intermediate stiffening ribs forming sections, front and back plates of light transmitting plastic material bonded by polymerization to said edge bands and stifiening ribs, with the front plate presenting a smooth outer surface adjacent the steps, and a honeycomb core of light reflective material positioned Within each section between said plates, and that the illuminating means are in back of the skirt panelling, the openings of said cores being transverse to said sheets to direct the light onto said steps.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

